Valve mounting and operating means for toilets



March 4, 1952 E. ROBINSON 2,587,901

VALVE MOUNTING AND OPERATING MEANS FOR TOILETS Filed Aug. 4, 1950 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 4, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE MOUNTING AND OPERATING MEANS FOR TOILETS 2 Claims.

.This invention relates to the valve mechanisms of `toilet flushing tanks.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved hydraulically actuated Imeans to open the iiush valve at each flushing operation.

Although it is not broadly new to provide a means `for .opening the flushing valve, `which is actuated by water pressure, yet the mechanism which has hitherto been used for that purpose is much more complicated than it should be. Therefore it is an object of the present invention greatly to simplify such amechanismso as to render it less expensive to manufacture, more positive in operation `and less ,apt to get out of order.

Another objectisto provide animproved float operated valve mechanism to shut off the inflow of water to the tank after each flushing operation, this means being combined with the aforesaid lush valve opening means in such a way as to produce fora plurality of valves, a mounting and operating means that can be quickly and easily installed into toilet ilushing .tanks now in use.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a view showing-the `structure provided by this invention partly in side elevation `and partly in vertical midsection, the toilet tank containing the same being shown in vertical section.

' Fig. 2 is a transverse section on approximately theplane indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is alsectional detail online 3-3 of Fig. .2, I'

the scale being enlarged.

Referring in detail to the drawing, a toilet flushing tank 5 is shown upwardly to one end portion of which extends a vsupply pipe 6, `and upwardly against the opposite end portion of which extends the water discharge flushing pipe l, 4which leads to the toilet -bowl (not shown).

By this invention an upstanding cylindrical housing 8 is provided having a thickened basal portion 9 which `terminates in a diametrically fl (l 2 from. A plurality of spacious, circumferentially spaced apart, water outlet slots I9 are provided in the aforesaid housing 8, said slots extending down into the thickened, valve seat forming, basal part 9 of said housing.

It will be seen that the lower portion of the buoyant valve Il is tapered to conform to the taper of the valve seat I6, and that, viewing said valve in its seated position. its taper extends downwardly to the top of the seat from a point thereabove, thehousing slots I9 extending down to the top of said seat. Therefore, as soon as the valve is lifted slightly from the seat, water flows through said slots past the unseated valve. The valve I1 is of greatest diameter at aboutits midheight where it slidably engages the intact portions of the housingibetween said slots I9.

The upper end of said tubular housing 8 carries an axial tubular extension 2l within the lower Vpart of which is fitted a centrally apertured guide disk v22 for the aforesaid valve stern I8. Said extension 2 I is provided with a spacious top opening 23 to admit nuts 24 and 25 after they have been screwed onto the upper end of `the valve stem I8. Said nuts 24 and 25 serve as an abutment means against which said disk 22 acts to apply upward traction to the stem I8. Under said guide disk 22 is a small chamber 2.6 with a passage 21 in its bottom within which the stem I8 slidably fits. Small circular outlet openings 2|a may also `be provided in said extension 2|.

A lateral passage 29 leads into said small chamber 26 and with said passage 29 communicates one end of a pipe 30, the opposite end of said pipe at times being supplied with water under pressure, through a valve casing 3I whichreceives water under pressure through a pipe 32 that communicates with the aforesaid :supply pipe 6 through a pipe section 33. The pipes 6 and 33 are connected by a fitting 34 and the pipes 32 and 33 are connected by an elbow 35. The front wall of the tank 5 is designated 5a, a fragment thereof being shown in Fig. 1 in an underlying relation to the valve stem head 43'. The tank has a conventional cover 5b.

`Thevalve structure 3|, preferably constructed as shown in detail in Fig. 3, comprises a casing 4c having a central chamber 4I with an inlet passage 32a with which the pipe' 32 communicates, and an outlet passage 30a with which the pipe 30 is connected. Through said chamber 4I passes a slidable valve stern 42 carrying a frustoconical valve proper 43 which controls .liquid flowfrom passage 32a to chamber 4 I. Saidvalve proper is normally held closed by a spring 44 one end portion of which occupies a recessed cap 45, The projecting end portion of the stem 42 is provided with an operating head 43'. The valve casing 3| is provided with a threaded nipple 41 which projects through a hole in the tank wall and has screwed onto it a securing nut 48. At the inner end of said nipple vents 49 allow surplus water to flow back into the tank.

One end of a relling pipe 50 communicates with the aforesaid supply pipes 6 and 33 through the elbow 35, the opposite end of said relling pipe communicating with an automatically operated valve structure which includes a body portion 52 and a depending cylinder or sleeve 53 having a bottom wall 54 provided with a spacious, circular central aperture 55.

Said valve structure 5| is carried by an elongated, horizontal bracket plate 56 having at one end a head 51 whereby it is secured to the said casing part 53 by screws 58, and at its opposite end having an expanded part 59 secured to the aforesaid cylindrical valve casing 8 by screws 6|.

The aforesaid pipe 50 at all times conducts water under pressure to an angular passage 62 in the aforesaid casing body 52, said passage 62 having an expanded lower end portion 63 into the lower side of which leads the smaller end of a frusto-conical needle valve seat 64 controlled by a needle valve 65. When the water flows downwardly through said needle valve seat it passes out of the valve casing through a horizontal passage 66 into which is tapped the upper end portion of the discharge section 61 of the refill pipe structure, this section being of an inverted L shape. The body portion 52 of the casing of the valve structure now being described is circular in transverse section and has tted around it the upper end` portion of the aforesaid cylindrical part 53, the latter having a circular hole in its side to receive a threaded fitting 68 which is screwed into the outer part of said passage 66, thus providing a means for holding in place the applied cylindrical part 53, aswell as for attaching the aforesaid pipe section 61.

Describing now the means for automatically operating the needle valve 65, said valve lits slidably within a bore which leads from the passage 66 to the lower side or end of the valve casing body 52, the lower end of said needle valve seating loosely upon an upwardly directed swell 69 provided upon the upper side of a horizontal operating arm 10. With said arm cooperates a subjacent horizontal lever 1|. One end of said arm 10 is swingably secured to the cylindrical casing section 53 by means of an angular clip 12, and the Vopposite end of said arm 10 is loosely connected to the aforesaid lever 1| by means of a link 13. That end portion of said lever to which said link is connected, at a point in a spaced relation to the link, is swingably connected by means of a pivot screw 14, to the main bracket 56, which has already been mentioned. The opposite end portion of said lever 1| carries a horizontal disk with which cooperates a large, buoyant ball 16, so as at times to raise the latter end portion of said lever. When this occurs the lever, link and arm structure which has been described forces the needle valve 65 upwardly into a 4iirm contact with its seat, causing a positive shutting off Vof the water supply to the tank whenever that is required.

4 ing upon the head 43' of the valve stem 42, water pressure is admitted to the chamber 26 (see upper, right hand yportion of Fig. 1) and lifts the disk 22, which, in turn, raises the nut-carrying `valve stern |8 to the dotted line position, thus opening the buoyant valve |1 and producing a portion inserted into a passage 8| provided for it A slot 5|:z: in the cylindrical member 53 accommodates the arm 10 and lever 1|.

When the operator opens the valve 3| by pressin the housing base 9.

It will be seen that both the cylindrical housing 8 and the valve casing 5| and related parts are supported by a single basal mounting member, the part 3 having the downwardly directed extension I6 clamped within the flushing outlet. Quick, easy and satisfactory installation of the device is thus provided for.

The relling of the tank causes the buoyant Valve 16 to rise, as indicated by the broken arcuate line thereabove in Fig. 1. Said buoyant valve then presses upwardly against the disk 15 and swings upwardly the end of lever 1| which carries said disk. When this occurs said lever, through link 13 swings upwardly arm 10, thus exerting a.

powerful leverage upon the needle valve 65, while moving saidneedle valve up into a tightly closed relation to its conical seat 64, cutting oiT inflow of water through the pipe until the next flushing operation.

I claim:`

l. In a device of the kind described, an elongated housinghaving a tubular axial extension bottom portion, a buoyant flushing valve posi' tioned to open and close said outlet, the lower portion of said housing guiding the closing movement of said valve to its seat, a manually controlled hydraulically operated piston means in said extension connected with said valve to open it for iiushing operations, an elongated bracket attached to and extending horizontally away from said housing, a valve casing carried by the outer end portion of said bracket, a needle valve within said casing arranged for vertical movement to control inilow of water into the tank to reiill the latter after flushing operations, ahorizontally extending vertically swingable arrn having one of its ends pivotally attached to said casing, that end of said arm forming the short end portion of a lever which multiplies force to in a pivotally attached relation to the part of the aforesaid bracket that is attached to the aforesaid housing, the opposite end of said lever projecting into said valve casing, and a buoyant body loosely contained within said casing subjacent to the latter end Vof saidleVer, said buoyant body, asv

the tank is relled, acting upon said lever to close said needle valve.

' 2. In a device of the kind described, an elongated housing having'a tubular axial extension vertically slotted in its bottom portion *and attached to the bottom of a toilet tank in an upstandingr overlying relation to the flushing valve, a buoyant flushing Valve positioned to open and close said outlet, the lower portion of said housing guiding the closing movement of said valve to its seat, a. manually controlled hydraulically operated piston means in said extension connected with said valve to open it for flushing operations, an elongated bracket attached to and extending horizontally away from said housing, a valve casing carried by the outer end portion of said bracket, a needle valve within said casing arranged for vertical movement to control inow of Water into the tank to refill the latter after ushing operations, a supply pipe supplying inflow of water to said tank and also supplying the hydraulic pressure that operates the aforesaid piston means, a plurality of linked together force multiplying levers mounted on said bracket and including a vertically swingable lever end portion projecting into said valve casing, and a valve buoyant body loosely contained within said valve casing subjacent to said lever en'd portion, said buoyant body, as the tank is relled, acting upon said lever end portion to close said needle valve.

EUGENE ROBINSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,037,679 Snyder Sept. 3, 1912 1,439,268 Shoppe et al Dec. 19, 1922 1,462,106 Hedges et al July 17, 1923 2,135,231 David Nov. 1, 1938 2,188,457 Giansetto Jan. 30, 1940 2,341,116 Owens Feb. 8, 1944 2,444,958 Smith July 13, 1948 2,534,524 Molloy Dec. 19, 1950 

